Latest Healthy Living News

Stroke risk cut in half for women who eat lots of fruits & veggies

A new and comprehensive research study from the Swedish Mammography Cohort suggests that women with a history of heart disease could reduce their risk of suffering from a stroke by 50 percent by eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. The study also found that women with no history of heart disease who ate a diet rich in fruits and vegetables had a 17 percent lower risk of stroke than those with the same health history that ate fewer fruits and vegetables. The results of the study, which appeared in the December issue of Stroke, provide more evidence in favor of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Eating a variety of fruits and veggies on a regular basis feeds the body with phytochemicals like vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and flavonoids. These phytochemicals have antioxidant properties and can help fight free radicals that attack the body’s cells during oxidation and can cause a variety of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and cancers. The study tracked the daily diet of 36,000 women without heart disease and nearly 5,700 women with a history of heart disease over a 22 year period (between 1987-2009). The women filled out a food frequency questionnaire which researchers then analyzed to draw conclusions about food groups and stroke risk. At 50 percent, fruits and vegetables accounted for the greatest antioxidant capacity among the study’s participants, followed by whole grains (18 percent) and tea (16 percent). So, just how many fruits and vegetables do you have to eat each day? According to the dietary recommendations released by the USDA in 2011, Americans should reserve half of the plate at every meal for fruits and vegetables. The new recommendations also came with a new food icon. The food pyramid was replaced with a plate icon to highlight the importance of balancing the diet among five important food groups, including: fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, and protein. The MyPlate icon recommends that people also emphasize whole grains, protein, and fat-free or low-fat milk/milk products, and limit foods that are high in fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars. According to Stemilt marketing director Roger Pepperl, the findings from the Swedish Mammography Cohort study supports the message that Produce for Better Health Foundation has been touting for years through their Fruits & Veggies - More Matters campaign. Source: Produce for Better Health Foundation. Press Release: “Fruit and Vegetable Intake Linked to Lower Risk of Stroke in Women.” K. Stevens. December 7, 2012.

National Peach Month

August is National Peach Month, and what better way to celebrate than with a fresh, sweet, and juicy peach from Stemilt? We have good news for you – our Artisan Organics peaches are in season now!

This month is also a great time to stock up on peaches for freezing or canning so that you can enjoy a taste of summer during the winter and spring months. There are many methods for canning peaches, and we’ve covered one of them here. Freezing peaches is a simple, but equally delicious process. Here’s our step-by-step instructions for freezing peaches (which can also be applied to nectarines since they are so closely related!).

How to Freeze Peaches

Wash the peaches under cool running water.
Remove the pit by cutting each peach into two-inch slices. Let the fruit air dry.
Decide whether to keep or remove the skin of the peach. It can be frozen either way!
If you’re removing the skin, do this now by either blanching the fruit or by peeling the skin off.
Toss the fruit in a simple sugar and lemon juice mixture to prevent browning and preserve the flavor. Use as little or as much sugar as you want and just enough lemon juice.
Next, spread the peach slices on a cookie sheet or baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer to harden the slices until they are frozen solid.
Place the frozen peaches in sealed plastic bags, leaving enough room at the top to seal and squeeze out any air left in the bag.
Mark the bag with the date and then store in your freezer until needed.

It’s best to allow the peaches to defrost in the refrigerator rather than room temperature in order to maintain firmness and to keep the juice in the peach. Be sure to use and eat the peaches within 3 months of freezing for best flavor!

Study finds that keeping fruits visible may increase consumption

Researchers found that keeping fruit in a clear bowl and then placing it at arm's reach may increase the amount you eat.

If you’re trying to increase the amount of fruits and veggies you eat each day, all you may need to do is move your favorite clear fruit bowl a little bit closer to you.

Researchers Gregory Privitera and Heather Creary watched as 96 college students were left alone with bowls of sliced apples and carrots, and found that close proximity increased the consumption of the two good-for-you foods, while proximity and increased visibility encouraged people to eat more apples.

During the study, the researchers placed apple slices and pre-cut carrots into either clear or opaque bowls and placed the bowls close to some, and 6.5 feet away from others. After observing the groups for 10 minutes, the researchers found that the participants who sat closer to the foods would eat more of them than those who had distance between them and the foods. Additionally, making the fruit and veggies more visible (by placing them in a clear bowl) encouraged participants to eat more fruit. The study was featured in a recent article of Environment and Behavior and uncovers yet another trick to increasing fresh fruit and veggie consumption.

Beyond keeping your fruit and veggies within arm’s reach, people who are trying to increase consumption may want to consider the following Stemilt tips:

Slice up your fruit and veggies ahead of time and place them in snack containers so that all you have to do when you’re out and about is eat them!
Combine fruits and veggies with other foods you like (such as cheese, peanut butter, or ranch) to make sure you snack on them.
Fill half of every plate you eat with fruits and veggies.
Hide veggies in a sandwich or mix fruit into yogurt to get that extra serving.

Source: Science Daily.

7 Tips for Adding Fruit to Every Meal

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that people fill half of their plate with fruits and vegetables at every meal, which for the average adult, is the equivalent of at least 2 cups of fruit per day and 3 cups of vegetables per day. Today, Americans only consume an average of 1.8 cups of fruit and vegetables per day - far below those guidelines. The good news is that adding a serving of fruit to every meal doesn't have to be time consuming or costly. Follow our list of tips for ways to add a serving of fruit to meals and you'll be well on your way to meeting (and hopefully exceeding) these important guidelines.

Find a Favorite: Sure, we love the old saying "variety is the spice of life" (after all we grow 12 different varieties of apples!), but sometimes eating your favorite fruit every day is the best way to make sure you are getting enough servings of fruit. It may also be easier to buy a big bag of apples or a bundle of bananas than one or two pieces of several fruits, especially if you're in a hurry. There's nothing wrong with eating an apple every day at 3 pm or a cup of cherries for dessert.
Go for Convenience: Start the day off right by making a batch of overnight oats the night before! Mix equal parts of yogurt, oatmeal, and milk, plus a cup of fruit in a bowl overnight and the result is a creamy, filling, and nutritious breakfast that all you have to do is grab and go. The choices for fruit on this dish are endless and anything you choose will give it a great touch of sweetness.
Disguise It: Maybe you aren't a fan of certain fruits? Rather than avoiding them all together, consider eating that fruit alongside something you do like. Apples and peanut butter, pears and cheese, peaches and yogurt - the options are endless. This is a great way to get kids to eat fruit as well!
Blend It: The quickest way to get several servings of fruit at once is to blend them up with ice and milk and make a smoothie. Try combinations like bananas and strawberries or peaches and raspberries. You can even add a cup of raw spinach to get a serving of vegetables. The sweetness of the fruit will be the predominant flavor.
Toss it: Fruits like apples, pears, blueberries, and raspberries are great when tossed with various greens for a fresh salad. Add in a crumbly cheese like feta or blue, balsamic dressing, and grilled chicken, and you have a complete meal on your hands!
Fruit & Grains: Fresh fruit is a great addition to any grain you might be cooking up for dinner. Apples, pears, and cherries are a great sweet addition to quinoa or brown rice, and also add a pop of color to this side. Be creative with your combinations - you never know when you'll discover a new flavor combination.
Make Dessert Fresh: Instead of divulging in something super-sweet for dessert, consider eating a handful of sweet cherries or a juicy nectarine for dessert one night. It's a great way to get a serving of fruit and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Finally, hop on over to our recipe section to get more ideas for utilizing fruit at every meal. The options are endless and the health benefits you reap from all of these fruits are plenty!

MyPlate turns 1!

Last June, USDA unveiled a new food icon to replace the long-time food pyramid. This June, the new icon, MyPlate is celebrating its first birthday! As a supplier of fresh fruits, Stemilt is proud to support MyPlate, which makes the following U.S. dietary recommendations easy to understand and follow:

Enjoy your food, but eat less.
Avoid oversized portions.
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower numbers.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

We invite you to join us in wishing MyPlate a great first birthday. Click here to wish MyPlate a Happy Birthday! While you're there, learn about the different food groups, get healthy eating tips, and start using SuperTracker to plan, analyze, and track your diet and physical activity each day.

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